Stapler for forming staples to various sizes

Abstract

A staple forming mechanism having at least first and second configurations. The staple forming mechanism including a bend surface having a first surface width in the first configuration and a second surface width in the second configuration for forming staples having first and second crown sizes, respectively. The forming mechanism also includes at least two side portions spaced apart by a first former width in the first configuration and by a second former width in the second configuration. The side portions cooperate with the bend surface to form the staples. A stapler includes the forming mechanism and a driver including a driving surface having a first driver width in the first configuration and a second driver width in the second configuration for driving the staples of the first and second crown sizes into a stack of papers.

1. A stapler comprising:
 a staple feeding mechanism that feeds staple blanks in a staple feed direction; and  
 a staple former assembly that is movable in the staple feed direction between a first position for forming staples having a first crown size and a second position for forming staples having a second crown size.  
 
     
     
       2. The stapler of  claim 1 , wherein the staple former assembly includes
 a first former having a first forming surface for forming staples having the first crown size; and  
 a second former having a second forming surface for forming staples having the second crown size.  
 
     
     
       3. The stapler of  claim 2 , wherein the first forming surface includes a pair of first forming surfaces that are spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the first crown size. 
     
     
       4. The stapler of  claim 2 , wherein the second forming surface includes a pair of second forming surfaces that are spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the second crown size. 
     
     
       5. The stapler of  claim 2 , wherein the second forming surface includes a pair of spaced-apart second forming surfaces, and wherein the first forming surface is between the spaced-apart second forming surfaces. 
     
     
       6. The stapler of  claim 2 , wherein the first former is coupled to an eccentric assembly, and wherein rotation of the eccentric assembly moves the first former in the staple feed direction to adjust the staple former assembly between the first and second positions. 
     
     
       7. The stapler of  claim 6 , wherein the eccentric assembly automatically adjusts the staple former assembly between the first and second positions in response to sensing a thickness of an item to be stapled. 
     
     
       8. The stapler of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bend plate assembly that supports staple blanks and that is movable in the staple feed direction between a first position for forming staples having the first crown size and a second position for forming staples having the second crown size.  
 
     
     
       9. The stapler of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bend plate assembly that supports staple blanks, the bend plate assembly including 
 a first portion defining a first bending surface having a first width for forming staples having the first crown size; and  
 a second portion defining a second bending surface having a second width for forming staples having the second crown size.  
 
 
     
     
       10. The stapler of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first and second portions move to adjust the bend plate assembly between a first position for forming staples having the first crown size, and a second position for forming staples having the second crown size. 
     
     
       11. The stapler of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a staple driver assembly for driving staples, the staple driver assembly being movable between a first configuration for driving staples having the first crown size and a second configuration for driving staples having the second crown size.  
 
     
     
       12. The stapler of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a staple driver assembly for driving staples having the first crown size and the second crown size into an item to be stapled, the staple driver assembly including a driver having a driving surface for movement in a driving direction to drive staples into the item, the driving surface having a first driving width in a first configuration of the driver assembly for driving staples having the first crown size, and a second driving width in a second configuration of the driver assembly for driving staples having the second crown size.  
 
     
     
       13. The stapler of  claim 12 , wherein the driver includes a first driving member defining a first driving surface having a width corresponding to the first crown size, and a second driving member at least partially defining a second driving surface having a width corresponding to the second crown size. 
     
     
       14. A stapler comprising:
 a staple feeding mechanism that feeds staple blanks in a staple feed direction; and  
 a staple former assembly for bending the staple blanks into staples having a first crown size and a second crown size, the staple former assembly including 
 a first portion having a pair of first forming surfaces spaced apart a first distance for forming staples having the first crown size; and  
 a second portion having a pair of second forming surfaces spaced apart a second distance for forming staples having the second crown size.  
 
 
     
     
       15. The stapler of  claim 14 , wherein the first portion is disposed at least partially between the second forming surfaces. 
     
     
       16. The stapler of  claim 14 , wherein the first portion has a first position with respect to the second portion for forming staples having the first crown size, and a second position with respect to the second portion for forming staples having the second crown size. 
     
     
       17. The stapler of  claim 16 , wherein when the first portion is in the first position, the first forming surfaces lie in substantially the same plane as the second forming surfaces. 
     
     
       18. The stapler of  claim 16 , wherein the staple former assembly moves in a staple forming direction to bend the staple blanks into staples, and wherein when the first portion is in the second position, the first forming surfaces are shifted out of a plane containing the second forming surfaces in a direction that is substantially normal to the staple forming direction. 
     
     
       19. The stapler of  claim 16 , wherein the staple former assembly moves in a staple forming direction to bend the staple blanks into staples, and wherein when the first portion is in the second position, the first forming surfaces are shifted away from the second forming surfaces in a direction that is substantially parallel to the staple forming direction. 
     
     
       20. The stapler of  claim 14 , wherein the staple former assembly includes a first configuration for forming staples having the first crown size and a second configuration for forming staples having the second crown size. 
     
     
       21. The stapler of  claim 20 , wherein when the staple former assembly is in the first configuration, the first and second portions are coupled together for movement in a forming direction to form a staple having the first crown size, and wherein when the staple former assembly is in the second configuration, the second portion moves in the forming direction independently of the first portion to form a staple having the second crown size. 
     
     
       22. The stapler of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a bend plate assembly that supports staple blanks and that is movable in the staple feed direction between a first position for forming staples having the first crown size and a second position for forming staples having the second crown size.  
 
     
     
       23. The stapler of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a bend plate assembly that supports staple blanks, that bend plate assembly including 
 a first portion defining a first bending surface having a first width for forming staples having the first crown size; and  
 a second portion defining a second bending surface having a second width for forming staples having the second crown size.  
 
 
     
     
       24. The stapler of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the first and second portions move to adjust the bend plate assembly between a first position for forming staples having the first crown size, and a second position for forming staples having the second crown size. 
     
     
       25. The stapler of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a staple driver assembly for driving staples, the staple driver assembly being movable between a first configuration for driving staples having the first crown size and a second configuration for driving staples having the second crown size.  
 
     
     
       26. The stapler of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a staple driver assembly for driving staples having the first crown size and the second crown size into an item to be stapled, the staple driver assembly including a driver having a driving surface for movement in a driving direction to drive staples into the item, the driving surface having a first driving width in a first configuration of the driver assembly for driving staples having the first crown size, and a second driving width in a second configuration of the driver assembly for driving staples having the second crown size.  
 
     
     
       27. The stapler of  claim 26 , wherein the driver includes a first driving member defining a first driving surface having a width corresponding to the first crown size, and a second driver member at least partially defining a second driving surface having a width corresponding to the second crown size. 
     
     
       28. A stapler comprising:
 a staple feeding mechanism that feeds staple blanks in a staple feed direction; and  
 a staple former assembly for bending the staple blanks into staples having a first crown size and a second crown size, the staple former assembly including 
 a first former configured to form staples having the first crown size and configured to drive staples having the second crown size toward a stapling area; and  
 a second former configured to form staples having the second crown size.  
 
 
     
     
       29. The stapler of  claim 28 , wherein the first former defines a pair of first forming surfaces that are spaced apart by a first distance that is substantially equal to the first crown size. 
     
     
       30. The stapler of  claim 29 , wherein the second former defines a pair of second forming surfaces that are spaced apart by a second distance that is substantially equal to the second crown size. 
     
     
       31. The stapler of  claim 30 , wherein the first former is disposed at least partially between the second forming surfaces. 
     
     
       32. The stapler of  claim 30 , wherein the first and second formers move in a forming direction to form the staples, and wherein when the second former forms staples having the second crown width, the first forming surfaces are spaced from the second forming surfaces in a direction that is substantially parallel to the forming direction. 
     
     
       33. The stapler of  claim 32 , wherein the first former moves in a driving direction to drive staples having the second crown width, and wherein the driving direction is the same as the forming direction. 
     
     
       34. The stapler of  claim 28 , wherein the first and second formers are coupled for movement together in a forming direction to form staples having the first crown size, and wherein the second former moves independently of the first former in the forming direction to form staples having the second crown size. 
     
     
       35. The stapler of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a bend plate assembly that supports staple blanks and that is movable in the staple feed direction between a first position for forming staples having the first crown size and a second position for forming staples having the second crown size.  
 
     
     
       36. The stapler of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a bend plate assembly that supports staple blanks, the bend plate assembly including 
 a first portion defining a first bending surface having a first width for forming staples having the first crown size; and  
 a second portion defining a second bending surface having a second width for forming staples having the second crown size.  
 
 
     
     
       37. The stapler of  claim 36 , wherein at least one of the first and second portions move to adjust the bend plate assembly between a first position for forming staples having the first crown size, and a second position for forming staples having the second crown size. 
     
     
       38. The stapler of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a driver sized to drive staples having the first crown size to the stapling area and configured to cooperate with the first former to drive staples having the second crown size to the stapling area.  
 
     
     
       39. The stapler of  claim 38 , wherein the driver moves relative to the first former to drive staples having the first crown size and moves with the first former to drive staples having the second crown size.